How Could I?

We are two days late in wishing Grunny a VERY, VERY Happy Birthday!

Hear We Go Again!

Get it, HEAR we go again? This is going to be about Lily's ENT appointment. Aren't I clever? :)

Bill and Lily went bright and early this morning to see the ENT and have her hearing checked. As we suspected, the fluid is back in the right ear. He asked us to wait six weeks and bring her back, and then we'll see if it clears up on its own, needs medicine, or a tube. (By the way she could tell you all of this exactly how the doctor told them today.)

Bill and I are overly frustrated with insurance and our bills from therapy and all the mess that goes into having a child (actually children) who need constant care and services. I know it could be so much worse, but sometimes I allow myself to get too bogged down in how long all of this is going to last. I'll admit it - it wears me out to think of going to therapy for another 10-15 years. It just does.  Imogene has made such progress with all of it - especially her speech - WOW is she a talker these days. It doesn't make a ton of sense unless you know her pretty well. But she's started saying things like "mommy's car ~ mommycah" and "i want that" and "one more book" ... most of her words are all strung together in one, and that's one of the big things we are working on. But she's tough - she's very, very 2 years-old, and has started fussing a lot about wearing her brace. I think she knows that Lily changes her shoe choice every day and gets to pick what shoes she wears, and Imogene is stuck with the brace and the same shoes every single day.

Lily's writing is getting a lot better, but a lot of her issues remain, and I try very hard to take it one day at a time, but with all the stuff getting ready for kindergarten registration right now, it's hard not to worry just a little bit more than I usually do about how she will do. My main concern, and I think Bill feels this too, is that I want her to love learning, and love school, and I don't want frustration with her skills and her sensory issues to get in the way of that.

Five Years & Two Shots!

Lily had her five-year-old check-up today.  She did a great job, but was not happy AT ALL about the two shots she got, and then milked that for all it was worth for a while. We went to eat lunch afterwards, and she actually asked me to feed her because she couldn't move her arms. Oh the drama.
She did 'refer' for the hearing screening again - which is convenient, because she has an appointment with the ENT tomorrow morning!
Imogene had her weight checked, and has moved up to the 15%tile! That's great news. Dr. Baldrate still wants us to come back with her over the summer and have her re-checked. Especially because she's going on maternity leave in July with her third boy! Congrats to our favorite pediatrician!!!

Model for A Night!

 

Last Thursday night I had the great fortune to model in the Junior Friends' of Alexandria's Toast to Fashion, which supports the Campagna Center. The center helps children in the area through literacy programs and other activities. It was SO FUN! These are just two of the outfits that I got to wear - I am hoping that I will have other pictures to share. It really was fun to be all glamorous for a night. And it was fun to spend the afternoon and evening with my friend and fellow Stella & Dotter, Molly. Friends Tracie and Christine also came out to support my modeling debut! What a fun night! 

Special thanks to Grunny and Charlie who came to help with the girls while I was gone Wednesday night and most of Thursday!

Lily and I went to her kindergarten open house on Friday. I cannot believe I typed that! She is BEYOND excited about kindergarten. We went into the school library for the open house, the kids were with teachers playing, and the parents were in another room for the informational portion of the day. Lily went right over to her buddy from school and didn't look back! Mommy, on the other hand, almost cried when I started imagining her gone from us all day, and eating lunch in a cafeteria!!! The only time she was at all fussy or sad was when it was time to leave! She starts Kindergarten camp on August 1. That lasts for two weeks and then school starts August 29. I love the idea of Kindergarten camp for all of us, but  boy does it make the summer seem short!

One on One Time for Everyone!

Lily and I had a great weekend in Raleigh. We stayed with my dear friend from VT, Lauren and her family Friday night, and then with Jenny, my dearest UR friend and her family Saturday night.

It was a short, slightly whirlwind trip, but it was really so great to see Lauren & Jenny.

We also got to spend the day with my old RNC friend, Anne on Sunday for her Stella & Dot show. 

The weekend reminded me how lucky I am to have had so many amazing opportunities to make so many amazing friends! 

 

Rachel and Lily watching Ellie's soccer game. 

(I did not take enough pictures at Lauren's house!)

 

We went to a nice playground/park with the boys and Jenny Sunday morning. It wasn't quite warm enough for our liking. We were looking for warmer weather. SO Ready for Spring we are!!!

 

Running to watch the train at the switch yard!

 

Waving to the train.

 

If only Imogene could have come with us (just for the picture). She and Daddy had a wonderful weekend together while Lily and I were away. They went to the zoo and played with lots of friends and went out to eat and really enjoyed their time just the two of them! 

 

Will and Jack really liked Lily! She had celebrity-status with those two! 

The Vosburghs Visit

We had a lovely visit with Nancy and Conner last week. Nancy was my roommate after college for two years, and is a dear person with a heart as big as can be. She really is such a true friend, and wouldn't you know it, her five year-old son, Conner, is just the same. Such a sweet kid he is. Thoughtful and sincere and so inquisitive. Boy did Lily absolutely FALL IN LOVE. She was nervous at first, but after 2 minutes together in the car they were thick as thieves. Her only complaints the whole time he was here  - that he was going to leave, and that she couldn't have a slumber party with him in the basement! 

They could not stop talking. All the way through the American History Museum. 

 

Playing out on the National Mall after our Museum visit. Such happy kids!

  

They had a blast running around and throwing pebbles in the puddles. Oh to be 5.

 

Would you look at her face? Is that love or what?

 

I am not sure they "got" what we were trying to get them to do!

Lily White Shoes

The career has begun. Lily Sigler started soccer today. She told EVERYONE within earshot that today was her first day of soccer practice. I finally found her cleats, shorts and shinguards (also known as "protectors") - she was not a fan of the black cleats. So she picked the white ones with blue and pink on them. Just like her Daddy wore back in the late '70s / early '80s ... so now it's not Billy White Shoes, it's Lily White Shoes.  She was bursting to get there. What a big girl walking down to the park for practice carrying her ball and wearing her gear. How did she get so big so fast? She looked at me when we were getting her cleats on and said, "Mom, I'm so excited about this."
Tonight at dinner (and several other times after practice) she said, "Were you really impressed with how I practiced today?"  She stayed very focused the whole time - the only thing she didn't like was the dirt on her knees, but she didn't really fuss about it, just didn't occur to her to just keep playing. Came right over and asked to be cleaned off. Such a girl, such MY KID!

 

Those are two brave Dads right there. 

We practice at 4:30, or a certain Dad we all know and love would have been out there too! 

 

Off to play on the playground with Maggie.

 

Carrying the ball with your elbows. Not easy for Lily.

 

Ah, the water break.

 

Back at the action!

 

Waiting her turn.

 

She had a blast today. Makes her Daddy, and her Mommy too!, very happy!

 

Go Team! (They are supposed to think of ideas for the team name. She is very concerned about what she will come up with.) 

 

Yeah for Lily and Will! Finally big enough to be on the team and not watching Wade play anymore! I love Lily and Will together. They are so sweet to each other and really just like each other so much. Hopefully they always do. Somehow the other night we were discussing how sometimes boys don't like girls (it was from a "Lilly" book when a boy in her class thinks it's gross that the teacher is getting married I think.) Lily said, "Well not me and Will. We will always love each other. He's my bud forever and ever." 

What I'm Not Going to Do...

I will not post about how Imogene won't let me leave the room without following me or screaming. Or about how she basically refuses to do anything but have me hold her or sit in my lap. Or about how she is still screaming like crazy when I leave her with dear, sweet babysitter Alice.
Instead, I will post that Imogene loves to sit and read books to herself. When I am helping Lily with her shower or getting Lily dressed or any other number of things Lily should do by herself but doesn't - I often find Imogene in her rocker or Lily's rocker just reading away. I will post that she is really starting to say a lot more. "Paahk mommy's cah" (we were going to the park. and she's obsessed with which car she will ride in.) She pointed to a gift bag and said "mommy hooopy buhday too uuu" I swear that is what she said. I am sure that she was actually singing it too. As Alice was saying today, she understands absolutely everything that is going on. Tonight she even help me set the table, and put everything at the right seat! After she spent the weekend a few weeks ago with Naney and Aunt Susan and saw Uncle Ryan, she considers them one group. She will say "nah-ney" and then "ry" and then "dudan" ... as if she is checking them off her list. When she likes something she is eating she has started saying "mmm" and giggling.

Somehow Lily and I got to talking about people's full names versus nicknames. She ended the conversation by stating that she would tell her kindergarten teachers that her name was Lillian. Apparently she meant it, because she told Miss Pam that she would be Lillian when she went to kindergarten.

Overheard on the playground, "Hi I'm Lily. I"m 4 1/2. No, wait, I'm 5."

She also told me while we were in NYC (in the bathroom at American Girl of all places) that I was a "nice mommy when that crazy Imogene isn't around." I think what she was trying to say is that I seem less harried, less hurried, less frantic and frenetic when it is just us. So that's my 'resolution' for this Lenten season (starts tomorrow - hooray Easter is only 41 days away!). I'm going to try giving up being harried, hurried, frantic and frenetic with my two children (With Life in General maybe!) Because I really don't want to get short with them and rush them through the day (although I swear Lily moves through molasses). I know that these are very precious times, and I should be proud of Imogene wanting to put her own coat on, and try and empathize with how frustrating it can be for Lily to try and do the same. I should try so much harder to live in the moment and take deeper breaths. So I am going to try and be a nicer mommy, even when that crazy Imogene is around.

Wish me luck.

Trip to NYC

We took Lily to NYC this weekend for her birthday. Everything went wonderfully - thanks to Bill's excellent planning, and Grunny & Charlie's excellent care of Miss Imogene. Here is a link to some pictures. I will get them on the blog as soon as the computer stops running so slowly!


http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=280174&id=691297886&l=3f3b7a3185

Her First Public Performance

Finally Five

 She loved her new guitar. Who knew a kids guitar was so affordable? And it actually doesn't sound that bad! I swear!

 

The ladybug stuffed animal from Aunt Martha & Uncle David was a big hit.

 

Happy Girl in her Birthday Jammies.

 

Imogene got a notebook with Glee pictures on the cover. She just kept saying "gee" "mine" "gee."

 

Hello Kitty Boots from Aunt Susan. Another big hit.

 

Her school celebration. Of course there's Imogene, right with the big kids. Miss Pam & Miss Carey are so sweet to her, and made sure she was right there in the middle of everything. Imogene even calls Carey "Cay-key"

 

A very happy girl.

 

This is Henry. Henry absolutely adores Imogene.

 

It's also Book Week at WWP. Daddy obliged Lily, and read a book to the class. Apparently it's one of Miss Pam's best performances, so he was nervous! I would have been! He did a great job with the Penguin Finds a Hot Dog!

 

Yes, she did play her guitar during "Happy Birthday." 

 

I love that kid. She can drive me up the wall and all the way back down again. But I absolutely could not imagine any other Lily ... she is just too much! 

 

Our traditional family Birthday picture!

 

Lots of hugs with her best girls.

 

Maggie made Lily a picture calendar ... such a wonderful gift - such a wonderful young lady that Maggie C!

A perfect way to end the day.  A surprise call from Tennyson in Texas! Lily was so tickled!

Her Last Days of Four

 Talking to Uncle Ryan on the phone. They both look so much older than they really are!

 A cold trip to the park yesterday. We were the only people there - no kidding - it was way colder than I thought it was going to be. But I think they were both pretty excited to be outside. This winter has lasted forever!!!

Serving me food at the "Kisses Restaurant."